McCaskill Keeps up Fight to Increase Oversight of Security Clearance Background Checks

Press Release

U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill is continuing her fight to better protect the country's secure facilities and sensitive information by strengthening oversight of security clearance background checks.

McCaskill is again cosponsoring the recently-reintroduced and bipartisan Security Clearance Accountability, Reform, and Enhancement Act.

"Considering the kinds of threats we face as a nation, when we entrust individuals to handle America's most secure secrets and institutions, we need to be absolutely sure they're worthy of that trust," said McCaskill, a senior member of the Senate Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs Committee. "Security clearance background checks have got to be conducted with the utmost level of oversight, integrity, and accountability--and this bill would get us much closer to that goal."

This legislation, which unanimously passed the Senate last year--but which received no action by the U.S. House--would direct the Office of Personnel Management to terminate or place on leave any employee that is involved in intentional misconduct affecting the integrity of background investigations, including falsification, fraud, or other serious misconduct. Individuals employed or contracted by the Office of Personnel Management who are intentionally involved in such misconduct would also be debarred or suspended.

Additionally, the legislation would direct the President to review and update guidance for agencies to: (1) determine whether a position requires a security clearance; (2) implement such guidance, including quality controls; and (3) review (at least every five years) and, if necessary, revise the designation of a position as requiring access to classified information or secure government facilities.

Following the systemic problems with the security clearance background check process highlighted by security leaks from contractor Edward Snowden and the tragic shooting at the Washington Navy Yard, McCaskill revealed that USIS, the company responsible for conducting the background investigations for both Snowden and Navy Yard shooter Aaron Alexis, was under criminal investigation. After McCaskill questioned the fact that USIS had two separate contracts with the federal government--one to conduct background investigations, the other to oversee the quality of background investigations conducted by contractors, including USIS itself--the federal government stopped allowing private contractors to oversee their own work in security clearance background checks.

McCaskill, who is also the top-democrat on the Senate's leading investigative panel, has played a leadership role to bring accountability to the security clearance process, including the Security Clearance Oversight Reform Act--which became law in October of 2013. This legislation allows the Inspector General of Office of Personnel Management to use resources from the agency's $2 billion Revolving Fund so that the office can conduct oversight and improve the integrity of the background check process.

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